There are a lot of great reasons to think about Florida when you are shopping for your forever home. Florida’s beautiful weather, fun activities, accessible homes, and low taxes make it a fantastic place to retire. What should you look for when choosing your forever home? Here are some key considerations.
- Location. Any time you buy a home, location matters. But it is more important than ever if you hope to stay in your home for life. Here are some aspects to pay attention to.
- Opportunities. If you still plan to work, or think you may need to go back to work in the future, it is smart to buy a home near where there may be a healthy labor market that is open to hiring workers of all ages.
- Comfort. Pick a location where you enjoy the views, are happy with the noise levels, etc.
- Amenities. Choose a location that puts you close to the amenities you need (i.e. groceries, hospital, etc.).
- Things to do. Ideally, you should live in an area where there will be plenty for you to see and do on your time off.
- Think about property taxes, and how they could change for the neighborhood in the future. You want your home to climb in value, but try not to fall into the trap where property taxes climb so much you can’t afford them years from now.
- Sufficient space. Think about your future plans, and how they will impact your space. If you are still young, do you plan to have more children later down the line? How long might they live with you?
- Maintenance requirements. You may want to choose a home that will not be too challenging to maintain. Think both about ongoing maintenance, as well as the likelihood of needing major repairs years from now. Be especially mindful of the outdoor spaces. An elaborate lawn and garden can be fun when you are young, but may be more than you want to deal with as you get older.
- Zoning laws and building codes. If you think you might want to make any modifications to your property in the future (new addition, etc.), you should make sure you buy a home in a location where the zoning regulations and building codes will give you the freedom you need.
- Open layout. As you get older, there is a chance you will have challenges involving mobility. If that happens, your home will be safer and easier to get around if you have an open layout. Open layouts also maximize natural light. This is another way to improve safety and quality of life in your home as you get older. Many people will experience vision problems at some point of their lives. Past a certain age, the majority of people develop cataracts. The good news is that quite a few modern homes feature open layouts now. So you should be able to find plenty of new and older builds alike that satisfy this criteria.
- Accessibility. Along with an open layout, there are other things you can look for in a home that will remain accessible as you age in place. One great feature is wide doorways. These are easier to get through with a wheelchair, walker, or even just a cane. Another is a one-story design, and/or a step-free way to access the second floor (like a lift). A lot of modern homes feature the master bedroom downstairs. That is great for someone shopping for their forever home. Even if you buy a two-story home and someday have a hard time getting upstairs, at least you will be able to keep using the master bedroom.
- Energy efficiency. Another feature which is great to look for in a forever home is energy-efficient design. This can include quality insulation, doors and windows, solar panels, etc. An energy-efficient home can save you money now and over the years to come. That is going to be a big deal if we continue to see rising inflation.
- A style and features you love. So far, we’ve focused mainly on practical considerations when you are shopping for your forever home. But it’s equally important to think about what you want just for the sake of enjoyment. Figure out what style of architecture is most likely to appeal to you not just now, but ten or twenty or thirty years from now. Ask yourself whether there are any special features that would make your home more fun and worthwhile, like a pool, game room, flex room, or so forth. If a home lacks the special features you want, figure out whether it’ll be realistic to add those features later if you want to.
Buy a Home in Florida
Now you know what to look for in a forever home if you will be retiring in Florida. Whether you are buying your forever home, your starter home, or your next home, we can connect you with a competitive mortgage, and make the process quick and easy. To get started, please give us a call at 954-840-8811 to schedule your consultation.
